Religious Affections, Part 3

by Jonathan Edwards

[XII.] Secondly, I proceed to show, that Christian practice, taken in
the sense that has been explained, is the chief of all the
evidences of a saving sincerity in religion, to the consciences of
the professors of it; much to be preferred to the method of the
first convictions, enlightenings, and comforts in conversion, or
any immanent discoveries or exercises of grace whatsoever, that
begin and end in contemplation.
[79]
The evidence of this appears by the following arguments.

ARGUMENT I. -- Reason plainly shows, that those things which put it to the
proof what men will actually cleave to and prefer in their practice, when left
to follow their own choice and inclinations, are the proper trial what they do
really prefer in their hearts. Sincerity in religion, as has been observed
already, consists in setting God highest in the heart, in choosing him before
other things, in having a heart to sell all for Christ, &c. But a man's
actions are the proper trial what a man's heart prefers. As for instance, when
it is so that God and other things come to stand in competition, God is as it
were set before a man on one hand, and his worldly interest or pleasure on the
other (as it often is so in the course of a man's life); his behavior in such
case, in actually cleaving to the one and forsaking the other, is the proper
trial which he prefers. Sincerity consists in forsaking all for Christ in
heart; but to forsake all for Christ in heart, is the very same thing as to
have a heart to forsake all for Christ; but certainly the proper trial whether
a man has a heart to forsake all for Christ is his being actually put to it,
the having Christ and other things coming in competition, that he must actually
or practically cleave to one and forsake the other. To forsake all for Christ
in heart, is the same thing as to have a heart to forsake all for Christ when
called to it: but the highest proof to ourselves and others, that we have a
heart to forsake all for Christ when called to it, is actually doing it when
called to it, or so far as called to it. To follow Christ in heart is to have a
heart to follow him. To deny ourselves in heart for Christ, is the same thing
as to have a heart to deny ourselves for him in fact. The main and most proper
proof of a man's having a heart to any thing, concerning which he is at liberty
to follow his own inclinations, and either to do or not to do as he pleases, is
his doing of it. When a man is at liberty whether to speak or keep silence, the
most proper evidence of his having a heart to speak, is his speaking. When a
man is at liberty whether to walk or sit still, the proper proof of his having
a heart to walk, is his walking. Godliness consists not in a heart to intend to
do the will of God, but in a heart to do it. The children of Israel in the
wilderness had the former, of whom we read, Deut. 5:27, 28, 29, "Go thou near,
and hear all that the Lord our God shall say; and speak thou unto us all that
the Lord our God shall speak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it. And the
Lord heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the Lord said
unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have
spoken unto thee; they have well said all that they have spoken. O that there
were such a heart in them, that they would fear me and keep all my commandments
always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever!" The
people manifested that they had a heart to intend to keep God's commandments,
and to be very forward in those intentions; but God manifests, that this was
far from being the thing that he desired, wherein true godliness consists, even
a heart actually to keep them.

It is therefore exceedingly absurd, and even ridiculous, for any to pretend
that they have a good heart, while they live a wicked life, or do not bring
forth the fruit of universal holiness in their practice. For it is proved in
fact, that such men do not love God above all. It is foolish to dispute against
plain fact and experience. Men that live in ways of sin, and yet flatter
themselves that they shall go to heaven, or expect to be received hereafter as
holy persons, without a holy practice, act as though they expected to make a
fool of their Judge. Which is implied in what the apostle says (speaking of
men's doing good works and living a holy life, thereby exhibiting evidence of
their title to everlasting life), Gal. 6:7: "Be not deceived; God is not
mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." As much as to
say, "Do not deceive yourselves with an expectation of reaping life everlasting
hereafter, if you do not sow to the Spirit here; it is in vain to think that
God will be made a fool of by you, that he will be shammed and baffled with
shadows instead of substances, and with vain pretense, instead of that good
fruit which he expects, when the contrary to what you pretend appears plainly
in your life, before his face." In this manner the word mock is
sometimes used in Scripture. Thus Delilah says to Sampson, "behold thou hast
mocked me, and told me lies." Judges 16:10, 13; i.e., "Thou hast baffled me, as
though you would have made a fool of me, as if I might be easily turned off
with any vain pretense, instead of the truth." So it is said that Lot, when he
told his sons in law that God would destroy that place, "he seemed as one that
mocked, to his sons in law," Gen. 19:14; i.e., he seemed as one that would make
a game of them, as though they were such credulous fools as to regard such
bugbears. But the great Judge, whose eyes are as a flame of fire, will not be
mocked or baffled with any pretenses, without a holy life. If in his name men
have prophesied and wrought miracles, and have had faith, so that they could
remove mountains, and cast out devils, and however high their religious
affections have been, however great resemblances they have had of grace, and
though their hiding-place has been so dark and deep, that no human skill nor
search could find them out, yet if they are workers or practicers of iniquity,
they cannot hide their hypocrisy from their Judge: Job 34:22, there is no
darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide
themselves." Would a wise prince suffer himself to be fooled and baffled by a
subject, who should pretend that he was a loyal subject, and should tell his
prince that he had an entire affection to him, and that at such and such a time
he had experience of it, and felt his affections strongly working towards him,
and should come expecting to be accepted and rewarded by his prince, as one of
his best friends on that account, though he lived in rebellion against him,
following some pretender to his crown, and from time to time stirring up
sedition against him? Or would a master suffer himself to be shammed and gulled
by a servant, that should pretend to great experiences of love and honor
towards him in his heart, and a great sense of his worthiness and kindness to
him, when at the same time he refused to obey him, and he could get no service
done by him?

ARGUMENT II. -- As reason shows, that those things which occur in the course of
life, that put it to the proof whether men will prefer God to other things in
practice, are the proper trial of the uprightness and sincerity of their
hearts; so the same are represented as the proper trial of the sincerity of
professors in the Scripture. There we find that such things are called by that
very name, trials or temptations (which I before observed are both words of the
same signification). The things that put it to the proof, whether men will
prefer God to other things in practice, are the difficulties of religion, or
those things which occur, that make the practice of duty difficult and cross to
other principles beside the love of God; because in them, God and other things
are both set before men together, for their actual and practical choice; and it
comes to this, that we cannot hold to both, but one or the other must be
forsaken. And these things are all over the Scripture called by the name of
trials or proofs.[80] And they are
called by this name, because hereby professors are tried and proved of what
sort they be, whether they be really what they profess and appear to be; and
because in them, the reality of a supreme love to God is brought to the test of
experiment and fact; they are the proper proofs in which it is truly determined
by experience, whether men have a thorough disposition of heart to cleave to
God or no: Deut. 8:2, "And thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy
God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove
thee, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments or no:" Judges 2:21, 22, "I
also will not henceforth drive out any from before them, of the nations which
Joshua left when he died; that through them I may prove Israel, whether they
will keep the way of the Lord." So chap. 3:1, 4, and Exod. 16:4.

The Scripture, when it calls these difficulties of religion by the name of
temptations or trials, explains itself to mean thereby the trial or experiment
of their faith: James 1:2, 3, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into
divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh
patience:" 1 Pet. 1:6, 7, "Now, for a season ye are in heaviness, through
manifold temptations; that the trial of your faith being much more precious
than of gold," &c. So the Apostle Paul speaks of that expensive duty of
parting with our substance to the poor, as the proof of the sincerity of the
love of Christians: 2 Cor. 8:8. And the difficulties of religion are often
represented in Scripture, as being the trial of professors, in the same manner
that the furnace is the proper trial of gold and silver: Psal. 66:10, 11,
"Thou, O God, hast proved us: thou has tried us as silver is tried: thou
broughtest us into the net, thou laidest affliction upon our loins." Zech.
13:9, "And I will bring the third part of them through the fire; and I will
refine them as silver is refined; and I will try them as gold is tried." That
which has the color and appearance of gold, is put into the furnace to try
whether it be what it seems to be, real gold or no. So the difficulties of
religion are called trials, because they try those that have the profession and
appearance of saints, whether they are what they appear to be, real saints.

If we put true gold into the furnace, we shall find its great value and
preciousness: so the truth and inestimable value of the virtues of a true
Christian appear when under these trials: 1 Pet. 1:7, "That the trial of your
faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, might be found
unto praise, and honor, and glory." True and pure gold will come out of the
furnace in full weight, so true saints, when tried, come forth as gold, Job
23:10. Christ distinguishes true grace from counterfeit by this, that it is
gold tried in the fire, Rev. 3:17, 18. So that it is evident, that these things
are called trials in Scripture, principally as they try or prove the sincerity
of professors. And, from what has now been observed, it is evident that they
are the most proper trial or proof of their sincerity; inasmuch as the very
meaning of the word trial, as it is ordinarily used in Scripture, is the
difficulty occurring in the way of a professor's duty, as the trial or
experiment of his sincerity. If trial of sincerity be the proper name of these
difficulties of religion, then, doubtless, these difficulties of religion are
properly and eminently the trial of sincerity; for they are doubtless eminently
what they are called by the Holy Ghost: God gives things their name from that
which is eminently their nature. And, if it be so, that these things are the
proper and eminent trial, proof, or experiment of the sincerity of professors,
then certainly the result of the trial or experiment (that is, persons'
behavior or practice under such trials) is the proper and eminent evidence of
their sincerity; for they are called trials or proofs, only with regard to the
result, and because the effect is eminently the proof or evidence. And this is
the most proper proof and evidence to the conscience of those that are the
subjects of these trials. For when God is said by these things to try men, and
prove them, to see what is in their hearts, and whether they will keep his
commandments or no; we are not to understand, that it is for his own
information, or that he may obtain evidence himself of their sincerity (for he
needs no trials for his information); but chiefly for their conviction, and to
exhibit evidence to their consciences.[81]

Thus, when God is said to prove Israel by the difficulties they met with in the
wilderness, and by the difficulties they met with from their enemies in Canaan,
to know what was in their hearts, whether they would keep his commandments or
no; it must be understood, that it was to discover them to themselves, that
they might know what was in their own hearts. So when God tempted or tried
Abraham with that difficult command of offering up his son, it was not for his
satisfaction, whether he feared God or no, but for Abraham's own greater
satisfaction and comfort, and the more clear manifestation of the favor of God
to him. When Abraham had proved faithful under this trial, God says to him,
"Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine
only son, from me." Which plainly implies, that in this practical exercise of
Abraham's grace under this trial, was a clearer evidence of the truth of his
grace, than ever was before; and the greatest evidence to Abraham's conscience;
because God himself gives it to Abraham as such, for his comfort and rejoicing;
and speaks of it to him as what might be the greatest evidence to his
conscience of his being upright in the sight of his Judge. Which proves what I
say, that holy practice, under trials, is the highest evidence of the sincerity
of professors to their own consciences. And we find that Christ, from time to
time, took the same method to convince the consciences of those that pretended
friendship to him, and to show them what they were. This was the method he took
with the rich young man, Matt. 19:16, &c. He seemed to show a great respect
to Christ; he came kneeling to high and called him good Master, and made a
great profession of obedience to the commandments; but Christ tried him, by
bidding him go and sell all that he had, and give to the poor, and come and
take up his cross and follow him, telling him that then he should have treasure
in heaven. So he tried another that we read of, Matt. 8:20. He made a great
profession of respect to Christ: says he, Lord, I will follow thee
whithersoever thou goest. Christ immediately puts his friendship to the proof,
by telling him, that the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests,
but that the Son of Man had not where to lay his head. And thus Christ is wont
still to try professed disciples in general, in his providence. So the seed
sown, in every kind of ground, stony ground, thorny ground, and good ground,
which, in all appears alike, when it first springs up; yet is tried, and the
difference made to appear, by the burning heat of the sun.

Seeing therefore, that these are the things that God makes use of to try us, it
is undoubtedly the surest way for us to pass a right judgment on ourselves, to
try ourselves by the same things. These trials of his are not for his
information but for ours; therefore we ought to receive our information from
thence. The surest way to know our gold, is to look upon it and examine it in
God's furnace, where he tries it for that end, that we may see what it is. If
we have a mind to know whether a building stands strong or no, we must look
upon it when the wind blows. If we would know whether that which appears in the
form of wheat, has the real substance of wheat, or be only chaff, we must
observe it when it is winnowed. If we would know whether a staff be strong, or
a rotten broken reed, we must observe it when it is leaned on, and weight is
borne upon it. If we would weigh ourselves justly, we must weigh ourselves in
God's scales that he makes use of to weigh us.[82] These trials, in the course of our
practice, are as it were the balances in which our hearts are weighed, or in
which Christ and the world, or Christ and his competitors, as to the esteem and
regard they have in our hearts are weighed, or are put into opposite scales, by
which there is opportunity to see which preponderates. When a man is brought to
the dividing of paths, the one of which leads to Christ, and the other to the
object of his lusts, to see which way he will go, or is brought, and as it were
set between Christ and the world, Christ on the right hand, and the world on
the left, so that, if he goes to one, he must leave the other, to see which his
heart inclines most to, or which preponderates in his heart; this is just the
same thing as laying Christ and the world in two opposite scales; and his going
to the one, and leaving the other, is just the same thing as the sinking of one
scale, and rising of the other. A man's practice, therefore, under the trials
of God's providence, is as much the proper evidence of the superior inclination
of his heart as the motion of the balance, with different weights, in opposite
scales, is the proper experiment of the superior weight.

ARGUMENT III. -- Another argument, that holy practice, in the sense which has
been explained, is the highest kind of evidence of the truth of grace to the
consciences of Christians, is, that in practice, grace, in Scripture style, is
said to be made perfect, or to be finished. So the Apostle James says, James
2:22, "Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made
perfect" (or finished, as the word in the original properly signifies)?" So the
love of God is said to be made perfect, or finished, in keeping his
commandments. 1 John 2:4, 5, "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his
commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him: but, whoso keepeth his
word, in him verily is the love of God perfected." The commandment of Christ,
which the apostle has especially respect to, when he here speaks of our keeping
his commandments, is (as I observed before) that great commandment of his,
which respects deeds of love to our brethren, as appears by the following
verses. Again, the love of God is said to be perfected in the same sense,
chapter 4:12: "If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is
perfected in us." Here, doubtless, the apostle has still respect to loving one
another, in the same manner that he had explained in the preceding chapter,
speaking of loving one another, as a sign of the love of God, verses 17, 18:
"Whoso hath this world's goods, and shutteth up his bowels, &c., how
dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue, but in deed (or in work) and in truth." By thus loving in
work, the apostle says, "The love of God is perfected in us." Grace is said to
be perfected or finished in holy practice, as therein it is brought to its
proper effect, and to that exercise which is the end of the principle; the
tendency and design of grace herein is reached, and its operation completed and
crowned. As the tree is made perfect in the fruit; it is not perfected in the
seed's being planted in the ground; it is not perfected in the first quickening
of the seed, and in its putting forth root and sprout; nor is it perfected when
it comes up out of the ground; nor is it perfected in bringing forth leaves;
nor yet in putting forth blossoms: but, when it has brought forth good ripe
fruit, when it is perfected, therein it reaches its end, the design of the tree
is finished: all that belongs to the tree is completed and brought to its
proper effect in the fruit. So is grace in its practical exercises. Grace is
said to be made perfect or finished in its work or fruit, in the same manner as
it is said of sin, James 1:15, "When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth
sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." Here are three steps;
first, sin in its principle or habit, in the being of lust in the heart; and
nextly, here is its conceiving, consisting in the immanent exercises of it in
the mind; and lastly, here is the fruit that was conceived, actually brought
forth in the wicked work and practice. And this the apostle calls the finishing
or perfecting of sin: for the word, in the original, is the same that is
translated perfected in those forementioned places.

Now certainly, if it be so, if grace be in this manner made perfect in its
fruit, if these practical exercises of grace are those exercises wherein grace
is brought to its proper effect and end, and the exercises wherein whatsoever
belongs to its design, tendency and operation, is completed and crowned; then
these exercises must be the highest evidences of grace, above all other
exercises. Certainly the proper nature and tendency of every principle must
appear best and most fully in its most perfect exercises, or in those exercises
wherein its nature is most completely exerted, and in its tendency most fully
answered and crowned in its proper effect and end. If we would see the proper
nature of anything whatsoever, and see it in its full distinction from other
things; let us look upon it in the finishing of it. The Apostle James says, by
works is faith made perfect; and introduces this as an argument to prove, that
works are the chief evidence of faith, whereby the sincerity of the professors
of faith is justified, James 2. And the Apostle John, after he had once and
again told us that love was made perfect in keeping Christ's commandments,
observes, 1 John 4:18. That perfect love casteth out fear; meaning (at least in
part) love made perfect in this sense; agreeable to what he had said in the
foregoing chapter that, by loving in deed, or work, we know that we are of the
truth, and shall assure our hearts, verses 18, 19.

ARGUMENT IV. -- Another thing which makes it evident, that holy practice is the
principal evidence that we ought to make use of in judging both of our own and
others' sincerity, is, that this evidence is above all others insisted on in
Scripture. A common acquaintance with the Scripture, together with a little
attention and observation, will be sufficient to show to anyone that this is
ten times more insisted on as a note of true piety, throughout the Scripture,
from the beginning of Genesis to the end of Revelations, than anything else.
And, in the New Testament, where Christ and his apostles do expressly, and of
declared purpose, lay down signs of true godliness, this is almost wholly
insisted on. It may be observed, that Christ, and his apostles, do not only
often say those things, in their discoursing on the great doctrines of
religion, which do show what the nature of true godliness must be, or from
whence the nature and signs of it may be inferred by just consequence, and
often occasionally mention many things which do appertain to godliness; but
they do also often, of set purpose, give signs and marks for the trial of
professors, putting them upon trying themselves by the signs they give,
introducing what they say, with such like expressions as these: "By this you
shall know, that you know God: by this are manifest the children of God, and
the children of the devil: he that hath this, builds on a good foundation; he
that hath it not, builds on the sand: hereby we shall assure our hearts: he is
the man that loveth Christ," &c. But I can find no place, where either
Christ or his apostles do, in this manner, give signs of godliness (though the
places are many), but where Christian practice is almost the only thing
insisted on. Indeed in many of these places, love to the brethren is spoken of
as a sign of godliness; and, as I have observed before, there is no one
virtuous affection, or disposition, so often expressly spoken of as a sign of
true grace, as our having love one to another: but then the Scriptures explain
themselves to intend chiefly this love as exercised and expressed in practice,
or in deeds of love. So does the Apostle John, who, above all others, insists
on love to the brethren as a sign of godliness, most expressly explain himself,
in that 1 John 3:14, &c, "We know that we have passed from death unto life,
because we love the brethren: he that loveth not his brother, abideth in death.
Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up
his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My
little children, let us love, not in word, neither in tongue, but in deed
(i.e., in deeds of love) and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the
truth, and shall assure our hearts before him." So that when the Scripture so
much insists on our loving one another, as a great sign of godliness, we are
not thereby to understand the immanent workings of affection which men feel one
to another, so much as the soul's practicing all the duties of the second table
of the law; all which the New Testament tells us again and again, a true love
one to another comprehends, Rom. 13:8 and 10, Gal. 5:14, Matt. 22:39, 40. So
that, really, there is no place in the New Testament where the declared design
is to give signs of godliness, but that holy practice, and keeping Christ's
commandments, is the mark chosen out from all others to be insisted on. Which
is an invincible argument, that it is the chief of all the evidences of
godliness: unless we suppose that when Christ and his apostles, on design, set
themselves about this business of giving signs, by which professing Christians,
in all ages, might determine their state; they did not know how to choose signs
so well as we could have chosen for them. But, if we make the word of Christ
our rule, then undoubtedly those marks which Christ and his apostles did
chiefly lay down, and give to us, that we might try ourselves by them, those
same marks we ought especially to receive, and chiefly to make use of, in the
trial of ourselves.[83] And surely
those things, which Christ and his apostles chiefly insisted on, in the rules
they gave, ministers ought chiefly to insist on in the rules they give. To
insist much on those things that the Scripture insists little on, and to insist
very little on those things on which the Scripture insists much, is a dangerous
thing; because it is going out of God's way, and is to judge ourselves, and
guide others, in an unscriptural manner. God knew which way of leading and
guiding souls was safest and best for them: he insisted so much on some things,
because he knew it to be needful that they should be insisted on; and let other
things more alone as a wise God, because he knew it was not best for us, so
much to lay the weight of the trial there. As the Sabbath was made for man, so
the Scriptures were made for man; and they are, by infinite wisdom, fitted for
our use and benefit. We should, therefore, make them our guide in all things,
in our thoughts of religion, and of ourselves. And for us to make that great
which the Scripture makes little, and that little which the Scripture makes
great, tends to give us a monstrous idea of religion; and (at least indirectly
and gradually) to lead us wholly away from the right rule, and from a right
opinion of ourselves, and to establish delusion and hypocrisy.

ARGUMENT V. -- Christian practice is plainly spoken of in the word of God, as
the main evidence of the truth of grace, not only to others, but to men's own
consciences. It is not only more spoken of and insisted on than other signs,
but in many places where it is spoken of, it is represented as the chief of all
evidences. This is plain in the manner of expression from time to time. If God
were now to speak from heaven to resolve our doubts concerning signs of
godliness, and should give some particular sign, that by it all might know
whether they were sincerely godly or not, with such emphatical expressions as
these, the man that has such a qualification or mark, "that is the man that is
a true saint, that is the very man, by this you may know, this is the thing by
which it is manifest who are saints and who are sinners, such men as these are
saints indeed;" should not we look upon it as a thing beyond doubt, that this
was given, as a special, and eminently distinguishing note of true godliness?
But this is the very case with respect to the sign of grace I am speaking of;
God has again and again uttered himself in his word in this very manner,
concerning Christian practice, as John 14, "he that hath my commandments, and
keepeth them, he it is that loveth me." Thus Christ in this place gives to the
disciples, not so much to guide them in judging of others, as to apply to
themselves for their own comfort after his departure, as appears by every word
of the context. And by the way I would observe, that not only the emphasis with
which Christ utters himself is remarkable, but also his so much insisting on,
and repeating the matter, as he does in the context: verse 15, "If ye love me,
keep my commandments." Verse 23, "If a man love me, he will keep my words." And
verse 24, "He that loveth me not, keepeth not my sayings." And in the next
chapter over and over: verse 2, "Every branch in me that beareth not fruit, he
taketh away; and every branch that beareth fruit; he purgeth it." Verse 8.
"Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my
disciples." Verse 14, "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you."
We have this mark laid down with the same emphasis again, John 8:31 "If ye
continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed." And again 1 John 2:3,
"Hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." And verse 5,
"Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected; hereby
know we, that we are in him" And chapter 3:18, 19, "Let us love in deed, and in
truth; hereby we know that we are of the truth." What is translated hereby
would have been a little more emphatical if it had been rendered more literally
from the original, by this we do know.--And how evidently is holy practice
spoken of as the grand note of distinction between the children of God and the
children of the devil, in verse 10, of the same chapter? "In this the children
of God are manifest, and the children of the devil." Speaking of a holy, and a
wicked practice, as may be seen in all the context; as verse 3, "Every man that
hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure." Verses 6-10,
"Whosoever abideth in him, sinneth not whosoever sinneth, hath not seen him,
neither known him. Little children, let no man deceive you; he that doeth
righteousness, is righteous, even as he is righteous: he that committeth sin is
of the devil.--Whosoever is born of God sinneth not.--Whosoever doeth not
righteousness, is not of God." So we have the like emphasis, 2 John 6: "This is
love, that we walk after his commandments;" that is (as we must understand it),
this is the proper evidence of love. So 1 John 5:3, "This is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments." So the Apostle James, speaking of the proper
evidences of true and pure religion, says, James 1:27, "Pure religion and
undefiled before God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." We
have the like emphatical expressions used about the same thing in the Old
Testament, Job 28:28: "And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that
is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding." Jer. 22:16, 16, "Did not
thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice? He judged the cause of
the poor and needy: was not this to know me? saith the Lord." Psal. 34:11,
&c. "Come, ye children, unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the
Lord.--Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile; depart from
evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it." Psal. 15, at the beginning, "Who
shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that
walketh uprightly," &c. Psal. 24:3, 4, "Who shall ascend into the hill of
the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and
a pure heart," &c. Psal. 119:1, "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who
walk in the law of the Lord." Verse 6, "Then shall I not be ashamed, when I
have respect to all thy commandments.'' Prov. 8:13, "The fear of the Lord is to
hate evil."

So the Scripture never uses such emphatical expressions concerning any other
signs of hypocrisy, and unsoundness of heart, as concerning an unholy practice.
So Gal. 6:7, "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap." 1 Cor. 6:9, 10, "Be not deceived; neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, &c., shall inherit the kingdom of God." Eph.
5:5, 6, "For this ye know, that no whoremonger nor unclean person, &c, hath
any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God. Let no man deceive you
with vain words." 1 John 3:7, 8, "Little children, let no man deceive you; he
that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous; he that
committeth sin is of the devil." Chap. 2:4, "He that saith, I know him, and
keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him." And
chap. 1:6. "If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness,
we lie, and do not the truth." James 1:26, "If any man among you seem to be
religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's
religion is vain." Chap. 3:14, 15, "If ye have bitter envying and strife in
your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth
not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish." Psal. 125:5, "As for such
as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the Lord shall lead them forth with the
workers of iniquity." Isa. 35:8, "A high way shall be there, and it shall be
called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it." Rev. 21:27,
"And there shall in no noise enter into it, whatsoever worketh abomination, or
maketh a lie." And in many places, "Depart from me, I know you not, ye that
work iniquity."

ARGUMENT VI. -- Another thing which makes it evident, that holy practice is the
chief of all the signs of the sincerity of professors, not only to the world,
but to their own consciences, is, that this is the grand evidence which will
hereafter be made use of, before the judgment seat of God; according to which
his judgment will be regulated, and the state of every professor of religion
unalterably determined. In the future judgment, there will be an open trial of
professors, and evidences will be made use of in the judgment. For God's future
judging of men, in order to their eternal retribution, will not be his trying,
and finding out, and passing a judgment upon the state of men's hearts, in his
own mind; but it will be, a declarative judgment; and the end of it will be,
not God's forming a judgment within himself, but the manifestation of his
judgment, and the righteousness of it, to men's own consciences, and to the
world. And therefore the day of judgment is called the day of the revelation of
the righteous judgment of God, Rom. 2:6. And the end of God's future trial and
judgment of men, as to the part that each one in particular is to have in the
judgment, will be especially the clear manifestation of God's righteous
judgment, with respect to him, to his conscience; as is manifest by Matt.
18:31, to the end; chap. 20:8-15, chap. 22:11, 12, 13, chap. 25:19-30, and
verse 35, to the end, Luke 19:16-23. And therefore, though God needs no medium
whereby to make the truth evident to himself, yet evidences will be made use of
in his future judging of men. And doubtless the evidences that will be made use
of in their trial, will be such as will be best fitted to serve the ends of the
judgment; viz., the manifestation of the righteous judgment of God, not only to
the world, but to men's own consciences. But the Scriptures do abundantly teach
us, that the grand evidences which the Judge will make use of in the trial, for
these ends, according to which the judgment of everyone shall be regulated, and
the irreversible sentence passed, will be men's works, or practice, here in
this world: Rev. 20:12, "And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;
and the books were opened;--and the dead were judged out of those things which
were written in the books, according to their works." So verse 13, "And the sea
gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell gave up the dead which
were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works." 2 Cor.
5:10, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone
may receive the things done in his body, whether it be good or bad." So men's
practice is the only evidence that Christ represents the future judgment as
regulated by, in that most particular description of the day of judgment, which
we have in the Holy Bible, Matt. 25 at the latter end. See also Rom. 2:6, 13,
Jer. 17:10, Job 34:11, Prov. 24:12, Jer. 32:19, Rev. 22:12, Matt. 16:27, Rev.
2:23, Ezek. 33:20, 1 Pet. 1:17. The Judge, at the day of judgment, will not
(for the conviction of men's own consciences, and to manifest them to the
world) go about to examine men, as to the method of their experiences, or set
every man to tell his story of the manner of his conversion; but his works will
be brought forth, as evidences of what he is; what he has done in darkness and
in light: Eccl. 12:14, "For God will bring every work into judgment, with every
secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." In the trial that
professors shall be the subjects of, in the future judgment, God will make use
of the same evidences, to manifest them to themselves and to the world, which
he makes use of to manifest them, in the temptations or trials of his
providence here, viz., their practice, in cases wherein Christ and other things
come into actual and immediate competition. At the day of judgment, God, for
the manifestation of his righteous judgment, will weigh professors in a balance
that is visible. And the balance will be the same that he weighs men in now,
which has been already described.

Hence we may undoubtedly infer, that men's works (taken in the sense that has
been explained) are the highest evidences by which they ought to try
themselves. Certainly that which our supreme Judge will chiefly make use of to
judge us by, when we come to stand before him, we should chiefly make use of,
to judge ourselves by.[84] If it had
not been revealed in what manner, and by what evidence the Judge would proceed
with us hereafter, how natural would it be for one to say, "O that I knew what
token God will chiefly look for and insist upon in the last and decisive
judgment, and which he expects that all should be able to produce, who would
then be accepted of him, and according to which sentence shall be passed; that
I might know what token or evidence especially to look at and seek after now,
as I would be sure not to fail then." And seeing God has so plainly and
abundantly revealed what this token or evidence is, surely, if we act wisely,
we shall regard it as of the greatest importance.

Now from all that has been said, I think it to be abundantly manifest, that
Christian practice is the most proper evidence of the gracious sincerity of
professors, to themselves and others; and the chief of all the marks of grace,
the sign of signs, and evidence of evidences, that which seals and crowns all
other signs.--I had rather have the testimony of my conscience, that I have
such a saying of my Supreme Judge on my side, as that, John 14:21, "He that
hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me;" than the
judgment and fullest approbation of all the wise, sound, and experienced
divines, that have lived this thousand years, on the most exact and critical
examination of my experiences, as to the manner of my conversion. Not that
there are no other good evidences of a state of grace but this. There may be
other exercises of grace besides these efficient exercises, which the saints
may have in contemplation, that may be very satisfying to them, but yet this is
the chief and most proper evidence. There may be several good evidences that a
tree is a fig tree; but the highest and most proper evidence of it is, that it
actually bears figs. It is possible, that a man may have a good assurance of a
state of grace, at his first conversion, before he has had opportunity to gain
assurance, by this great evidence I am speaking of.--If a man hears that a
great treasure is offered him, in a distant place, on condition that he will
prize it so much, as to be willing to leave what he possesses at home, and go a
journey for it, over the rocks and mountains that are in the way, to the place
where it is; it is possible the man may be well assured, that he values the
treasure to the degree spoken of, as soon as the offer is made him: he may feel
within him, a willingness to go for the treasure, beyond all doubt; but yet,
this does not hinder but that his actual doing for it, is the highest and most
proper evidence of his being willing, not only to others, but to himself. But
then as an evidence to himself, his outward actions, and the motions of his
body in his journey, are not considered alone, exclusive of the action of his
mind, and a consciousness within himself, of the thing that moves him, and the
end he goes for; otherwise his bodily motion is no evidence to him of his
prizing the treasure. In such a manner is Christian practice the most proper
evidence of a saving value of the pearl of great price, and treasure hid in the
field.

Christian practice is the sign of signs, in this sense, that it is the great
evidence, which confirms and crowns all other signs of godliness. There is no
one grace of the Spirit of God, but that Christian practice is the most proper
evidence of the truth of it. As it is with the members of our bodies, and all
our utensils, the proper proof of the soundness and goodness of them, is in the
use of them: so it is with our graces (which are given to be used in practice,
as much as our hands and feet, or the tools with which we work, or the arms
with which we fight), the proper trial and proof of them is in their exercise
in practice. Most of the things we use are serviceable to us, and so have their
serviceableness proved, in some pressure, straining, agitation, or collision.
So it is with a bow, a sword, an axe, a saw, a cord, a chain, a staff, a foot,
a tooth, &c. And they that are so weak, as not to bear the strain or
pressure we need to put them to, are good for nothing. So it is with all the
virtues of the mind. The proper trial and proof of them, is in being exercised
under those temptations and trials that God brings us under, in the course of
his providence, and in being put to such service as strains hard upon the
principles of nature.

Practice is the proper proof of the true and saving knowledge of God; as
appears by that of the apostle already mentioned, "hereby do we know that we
know him, that we keep his commandments." It is in vain for us to profess that
we know God, if in works we deny him, Tit. 1:16. And if we know God, but
glorify him not as God; our knowledge will only condemn us, and not save us,
Rom. 1:21. The great note of that knowledge which saves and makes happy, is,
that it is practical: John 13:17, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye
do them." Job 28:28, "To depart from evil is understanding."

Holy practice is the proper evidence of repentance. When the Jews professed
repentance, when they came confessing their sins, to John, preaching the
baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; he directed them to the right
way of getting and exhibiting proper evidences of the truth of their
repentance, when he said to them, "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance,"
Matt. 3:8. Which was agreeable to the practice of the Apostle Paul; see Acts
26:20. Pardon and mercy are from time to time promised to him who has this
evidence of true repentance, that he forsakes his sin, Prov. 28:13, and Isa.
55:7, and many other places.

Holy practice is the proper evidence of a saving faith. It is evident that the
Apostle James speaks of works, as what do eminently justify faith, or (which is
the same thing) justify the professors of faith, and vindicate and manifest the
sincerity of their profession, not only to the world, but to their own
consciences; as is evident by the instance he gives of Abraham, James 2:21-24.
And in verses 20 and 26, he speaks of the practical and working nature of
faith, as the very life and soul of it; in the same manner that the active
nature and substance, which is in the body of a man, is the life and soul of
that. And if so, doubtless practice is the proper evidence of the life and soul
of true faith by which it is distinguished from a dead faith. For doubtless,
practice is the most proper evidence of a practical nature, and operation the
most proper evidence of an operative nature.

Practice is the best evidence of a saving belief of the truth. That is spoken
of as the proper evidence of the truth's being in a professing Christian, that
he walks in the truth, 3 John 3: "I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and
testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth."

Practice is the most proper evidence of a true coming to Christ, and accepting
of, and closing with him. A true and saving coming to Christ, is (as Christ
often teaches) a coming so as to forsake all for him. And, as was observed
before, to forsake all for Christ in heart, is the same thing as to have a
heart actually to forsake all; but the proper evidence of having a heart
actually to forsake all, is, indeed, actually to forsake all so far as called
to it. If a prince make suit to a woman in a far country, that she would
forsake her own people, and father's house, and come to him to be his bride;
the proper evidence of the compliance of her heart with the king's suit, is her
actually forsaking her own people and father's house, and coming to him.--By
this her compliance with the king's suit is made perfect, in the same sense
that the Apostle James says, By works is faith made perfect.[85] Christ promises us eternal life, on
condition of our coming to him: but it is such a coming as he directed the
young man to, who came to inquire what he should do that he might have eternal
life; Christ bade him go and sell all that he had, and come to him, and follow
him. If he had consented in his heart to the proposal, and had therein come to
Christ in his heart, the proper evidence of it would have been his doing of it;
and therein his coming to Christ would have been made perfect. When Christ
called Levi the publican, when sitting at the receipt of custom, and in the
midst of his worldly gains; the closing of Levi's heart with this invitation of
his Savior to come to him, was manifested, and made perfect by his actually
rising up, leaving all, and following him, Luke 5:27, 28. Christ, and other
things, are set before us together, for us particularly to cleave to one, and
forsake the other; in such a case, a practical cleaving to Christ is a
practical acceptance of Christ; as much as a beggar's reaching out his hand and
taking a gift that is offered, is his practical acceptance of the gift. Yea,
that act of the soul that is in cleaving to Christ in practice is itself the
most perfect coming of the soul to Christ.

Practice is the most proper evidence of trusting in Christ for salvation. The
proper signification of the word trust, according to the more ordinary use of
it, both in common speech and in the Holy Scriptures, is the emboldening and
encouragement of a person's mind, to run some venture in practice, or in
something that he does on the credit of another's sufficiency and faithfulness.
And, therefore, the proper evidence of his trusting, is the venture he runs in
what he does. He is not properly said to run any venture, in a dependence on
any thing, that does nothing on that dependence, or whose practice is no
otherwise than if he had no dependence. For a man to run a venture on a
dependence on another, is for him to do something from that dependence by which
he seems to expose himself, and which he would not do, were it not for that
dependence. And, therefore, it is in complying with the difficulties, and
seeming dangers of Christian practice, in a dependence on Christ's sufficiency
and faithfulness to bestow eternal life, that persons are said to venture
themselves upon Christ, and trust in him for happiness and life. They depend on
such promises as that, Matt. 10:39, "He that loseth his life for my sake,
shall, find it." And so they part with all, and venture their all, in a
dependence on Christ's sufficiency and truth. And this is the Scripture notion
of trusting in Christ, in the exercise of a saving faith in him. Thus Abraham,
the father of believers, trusted in Christ, and by faith forsook his own
country, in a reliance on the covenant of grace God established with him, Heb.
11:8, 9. Thus also, "Moses, by faith refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's
daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season," Heb. 11:23, &c. So by faith,
others exposed themselves to be stoned and sawn asunder, or slain with the
sword; "endured the trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, bonds and
imprisonments, and wandered about in sheep skins, and goat skins, being
destitute, afflicted, tormented." And in this sense the Apostle Paul, by faith
trusted in Christ, and committed himself to him, venturing himself, and his
whole interest, in a dependence on the ability and faithfulness of his
Redeemer, under great persecutions, and in suffering the loss of all things: 2
Tim. 1:12, "For the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am
not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded, that he is
able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day."

If a man should have word brought him from the king of a distant island, that
he intended to make him his heir, if, upon receiving the tidings, he
immediately leaves his native land and friends, and all that he has in the
world, to go to that country, in a dependence on what he hears, then he may be
said to venture himself, and all that he has in the world upon it. But, if he
only sits still, and hopes for the promised benefit, inwardly pleasing himself
with the thoughts of it; he cannot properly be said to venture himself upon it;
he runs no venture in the case; he does nothing, otherwise than he would do, if
he had received no such tidings, by which he would be exposed to any suffering
in case all should fail. So he that, on the credit of what he hears of a future
world, and, in a dependence on the report of the gospel, concerning life and
immortality, forsakes all, or does so at least, so far as there is occasion,
making everything entirely give place to his eternal interest; he, and he only,
may properly be said to venture himself on the report of the gospel. And this
is the proper evidence of a true trust in Christ for salvation.

Practice is the proper evidence of a gracious love, both to God and men. The
texts that plainly teach this, have been so often mentioned already, that it is
needless to repeat them.

Practice is the proper evidence of humility. That expression, and manifestation
of humility of heart, which God speaks of, as the great expression of it, that
he insists on; that we should look upon as the proper expression and
manifestation of it: but this is walking humbly. Micah 6:8, "He hath showed
thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do
justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

This is also the proper evidence of the true fear of God: Prov. 8:13, "The fear
of the Lord is to hate evil." Psal. 34:11, &c., "Come, ye children, hearken
unto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Keep thy tongue from evil,
and thy lips from speaking guile: depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and
pursue it." Prov. 3:7, "Fear the Lord, and depart from evil." Prov. 16:6, "By
the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil." Job 1:8, "Hast thou considered my
servant Job--a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth
evil?" Chap. 2:3, "Hast thou considered my servant Job--a perfect and an
upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? And still he holdeth
fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him." Psal. 36:1, "The
transgression of the wicked saith within thy heart, There is no fear of God
before his eyes."

So practice, in rendering again according to benefits received, is the proper
evidence of true thankfulness. Psal. 116:12, "What shall I render to the Lord
for all his benefits towards me?" 2 Chron. 32:25, "But Hezekiah rendered not
again according to the benefit done unto him." Paying our vows unto God, and
ordering our conversation aright, seem to be spoken of as the proper expression
and evidence of true thankfulness, in the 50th Psalm, ver. 14: "Offer unto God
thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High." Verse 92, &c; Whoso
offereth praise, glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation
aright, will I show the salvation of God."

So the proper evidence of gracious desires and longings, and that which
distinguishes them from those that are false and vain, is, that they are not
idle wishes and wouldings like Balaam's; but effectual in practice, to stir up
persons earnestly and thoroughly to seek the things they long for. Psalm 27:4
"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after." Psal. 63:1, 2,
"O God, thou art my God, early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my
flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, to see thy
power and thy glory." Verse 8, "My soul followeth hard after thee." Cant. 1:4,
"Draw me, we will run after thee."

Practice is the proper evidence of a gracious hope: 1 John 3:3, "Every man that
hath this hope in him, purifieth himself even as he is pure." Patient
continuance in well-doing, through the difficulties and trials of the Christian
course, is often mentioned as the proper expression and fruit of a Christian
hope. 1 Thess. 1:3, "Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor
of love, and patience of hope." 1 Pet. 1:13, 14, "Wherefore, gird up the loins
of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be
brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ, as obedient children,"
&c. Psal. 119:166, "Lord, I have hoped in thy salvation, and done thy
commandments." Psal. 78:7, "That they might set their hope in God, and not
forget the works of the Lord, but keep his commandments."

A cheerful practice of our duty, and doing the will of God, is the proper
evidence of a truly holy joy. Isa. 64:5, "Thou meetest him that rejoiceth, and
worketh righteousness." Psal. 119:111, 112, "Thy testimonies have I taken for
my heritage forever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined
mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even to the end." Verse 14, "I have
rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches." 1 Cor. 13:6,
"Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth." 2 Cor. 8:2,
"The abundance of their joy abounded unto the riches of their liberality.

Practice also is the proper evidence of Christian fortitude. The trial of a
good soldier is not in his chimney corner, but in the field of battle, 1 Cor.
9:25, 26, 2 Tim. 2:3, 4, 6.

And, as the fruit of holy practice is the chief evidence of the truth of grace,
so the degree in which experiences have influence on a person's practice, is
the surest evidence of the degree of that which is spiritual and divine in his
experiences. Whatever pretenses persons may make to great discoveries, great
love and joys, they are no further to be regarded than they have influence on
their practice. Not but that allowances must be made for the natural temper.
But that does not hinder, but that the degree of grace is justly measured, by
the degree of the effect in practice. For the effect of grace is as great, and
the alteration as remarkable, in a very ill natural temper, as another.
Although a person of such a temper will not behave himself so well, with the
same degree of grace as another, the diversity from what was before conversion,
may be as great; because a person of a good natural temper did not behave
himself so in before conversion.

Thus I have endeavored to represent the evidence there is, that Christian
practice is the chief of all the signs of saving grace. And, before I conclude
this discourse, I would say something briefly in answer to two objections that
may possibly be made by some against what has been said upon this head.

OBJECTION I.--Some may be ready to says this seems to be contrary to that
opinion, so much received among good people; that professors should judge of
their state, chiefly by their inward experience, and that spiritual experiences
are the main evidences of true grace.

I answer, it is doubtless a true opinion, and justly much received among good
people, that professors should chiefly judge of their state by their
experience. But it is a great mistake, that what has been said is at all
contrary to that opinion. The chief sign of grace to the consciences of
Christians being Christian practice, in the sense that has been explained, and
according to what has been shown to be the true notion of Christian practice,
is not at all inconsistent with Christian experience, being the chief evidence
of grace. Christian or holy practice is spiritual practice; and that is not the
motion of a body that knows not how, nor when, nor wherefore it moves: but
spiritual practice in man is the practice of a spirit and body jointly, or the
practice of a spirit animating, commanding, and actuating a body to which it is
united, and over which it has power given it by the Creator. And, therefore,
the main thing, in this holy practice, is the holy action of the mind,
directing and governing the motions of the body. And the motions of the body
are to be looked upon as belonging to Christian practices only secondarily, and
as they are dependent and consequent on the acts of the soul. The exercises of
grace that Christians find, or are conscious to within themselves, are what
they experience within themselves; and herein therefore lies Christian
experience: and this Christian experience consists as much in those operative
exercises of grace in the will, that are immediately concerned in the
management of the behavior of the body, as in other exercises. These inward
exercises are not the less a part of Christian experience, because they have
outward behavior immediately connected with them. A strong act of love to God,
is not the less a part of spiritual experience, because it is the act that
immediately produces and effects some self-denying and expensive outward
action, which is much to the honor and glory of God.

To speak of Christian experience and practice, as if they were two things,
properly and entirely distinct, is to make a distinction without consideration
or reason. Indeed, all Christian experience is not properly called practice,
but all Christian practice is properly experience. And the distinction that is
made between them, is not only an unreasonable, but an unscriptural
distinction. Holy practice is one kind or part of Christian experience; and
both reason and Scripture represent it as the chief, and most important and
most distinguishing part of it. So it is represented in Jer. 22:15, 16: "Did
not thy father eat and drink, and do justice and judgment? He judged the cause
of the poor and needy--Was not this to know me, saith the Lord?" Our inward
acquaintance with God surely belongs to the head of experimental religion: but
this, God represents as consisting chiefly in that experience which there is in
holy practice. So the exercises of those graces of the love of God, and the
fear of God are a part of experimental religion: but these the Scripture
represents as consisting chiefly in practice, in those forementioned texts: 1
John 5:3, "This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." 2 John 6,
"This is love, that we walk after his commandments." Psal 34:11, &c.,
"Come, ye children, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord: depart from
evil, and do good." Such experiences as these Hezekiah took comfort in, chiefly
on his sick bed, when he said, "Remember, O Lord, I beseech thee, how I have
walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart." And such experiences as
these, the Psalmist chiefly insists upon, in the 119th Psalm, and elsewhere.

Such experiences as these the Apostle Paul mainly insists upon, when he speaks
of his experiences in his epistles; as, Rom. 1:9, "God is my witness, whom I
serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son." 2 Cor. 1:12, "For our rejoicing
is this, the testimony of our conscience, that--by the grace of God, we have
had our conversation in the world." Chap. 4:13, "We, having the same spirit of
faith, according as it is written, I have believed, and therefore have I
spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." Chap. 5:7, "We walk by faith,
not by sight." Ver. 14, "The love of Christ constraineth us." Chap. 6:4-7, "In
all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in
afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in labors, in watchings, in
fastings. By pureness, by knowledge, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love
unfeigned; by the power of God." Gal. 2:20, "I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life, which I
now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God." Phil. 3:7, 8,
"But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea,
doubtless, and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge
of Christ Jesus my Lord, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ."
Col. 1:29, "Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which
worketh in me mightily." 1 Thess. 2:2, "We were bold in our God, to speak unto
you the gospel of God with much contention." Ver. 8, 9, 10, "Being
affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not
the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.
For ye remember, brethren, our labor and travel, laboring night and day. Ye are
witnesses, and God also, how holily, and justly, and unblamably, we behaved
ourselves among you." And such experiences as these they were, that this
blessed apostle chiefly comforted himself in the consideration of, when he was
going to martyrdom: 2 Tim. 4:6, 7, "For I am now ready to be offered, and the
time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith."

And not only does the most important and distinguishing part of Christian
experience lie in spiritual practice; but such is the nature of that sort of
exercises of grace, wherein spiritual practice consists, that nothing is so
properly called by the name of experimental religion. For, that experience,
which is in these exercises of grace, that are found and prove effectual at the
very point of trial, wherein God proves, which we will actually cleave to,
whether Christ or our lusts, is, as has been shown already, the proper
experiment of the truth and power of our godliness; wherein its victorious
power and efficacy, in producing its proper effect, and reaching its end, is
found by experience. This is properly Christian experience, wherein the saints
have opportunity to see, by actual experience and trial, whether they have a
heart to do the will of God, and to forsake other things for Christ, or no. As
that is called experimental philosophy which brings opinions and notions to the
test of fact, so is that properly called experimental religion, which brings
religious affections and intentions to the like test.

There is a sort of external religious practice, wherein is no inward
experience, which no account is made of in the sight of God, but it is esteemed
good for nothing. And there is what is called experience, that is without
practice, being neither accompanied nor followed with a Christian behavior; and
this is worse than nothing. Many persons seem to have very wrong notions of
Christian experience and spiritual light and discoveries. Whenever a person
finds within him a heart to treat God as God, at the time that he has the
trial, and finds his disposition effectual in the experiment, that is the most
proper, and most distinguishing experience. And to have, at such a time, that
sense of divine things, that apprehension of the truth, importance and
excellency of the things of religion, which then sways and prevails, and
governs his heart and hands; this is the most excellent spiritual light, and
these are the most distinguishing discoveries. Religion consists much in holy
affection; but those exercises of affection which are most distinguishing of
true religion, are these practical exercises. Friendship between earthly
friends consists much in affection; but yet, those strong exercises of
affection, that actually carry them through fire and water for each other, are
the highest evidences of true friendship.

There is nothing in what has been said, contrary to what is asserted by some
sound divines; when they say, that there are no sure evidences of grace, but
the acts of grace. For that doth not hinder, but that these operative,
productive acts, those exercises of grace that are effectual in practice, may
be the highest evidences above all other kinds of acts of grace. Nor does it
hinder, but that, when there are many of these acts and exercises, following
one another in a course, under various trials of every kind, the evidence is
still heightened; as one act confirms another. A man, once by seeing his
neighbor, may have good evidence of his presence; but by seeing him from day to
day, and conversing with him in a course, in various circumstances, the
evidence is established. The disciples when they first saw Christ, after his
resurrection, had good evidence that he was alive; but, by conversing with him
for forty days, and his showing himself to them alive by many infallible
proofs, they had yet higher evidence.[86]

The witness or seal of the Spirit that we read of, doubtless consists in the
effect of the Spirit of God on the heart, in the implantation and exercises of
grace there, and so consists in experience. And it is also beyond doubt, that
this seal of the Spirit, is the highest kind of evidence of the saints'
adoption, that ever they obtain. But in these exercises of grace in practice,
that have been spoken of, God gives witness, and sets to his seal, in the most
conspicuous, eminent, and evident manner. It has been abundantly found to be
true in fact, by the experience of the Christian church, that Christ commonly
gives, by his Spirit, the greatest and most joyful evidences to his saints of
their sonship, in those effectual exercises of grace under trials, which have
been spoken of; as is manifest in the full assurance, and unspeakable joys of
many of the martyrs. Agreeable to that, 1 Pet. 4:14, "If ye are reproached for
the name of Christ happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory, and of God resteth
upon you." And that in Rom. 5:2, 3, "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God,
and glory in tribulations." And agreeable to what the Apostle Paul often
declares of what he experienced in his trials. And when the Apostle Peter, in
my text, speaks of the joy unspeakable, and full of glory, which the Christians
to whom he wrote, experienced; he has respect to what they found under
persecution, as appears by the context. Christ's thus manifesting himself, as
the friend and savior of his saints, cleaving to him under trials seems to have
been represented of old, by his coming and manifesting himself, to Shadrach,
Meshach and Abednego, in the furnace. And when the apostle speaks of the
witness of the Spirit, in Rom. 8:15, 16, 17, he has a more immediate respect to
what the Christians experienced, in their exercises of love to God, in
suffering persecution; as is plain by the context. He is, in the foregoing
verses, encouraging the Christian Romans under their sufferings, that though
their bodies be dead because of sin, yet they should be raised to life again.
But it is more especially plain by the verse immediately following, verse 18,
"For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be
compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us." So the apostle has
evidently respect to their persecutions, in all that he says to the end of the
chapter. So when the apostle speaks of the earnest of the Spirit, which God had
given to him, in 2 Cor. 5:5, the context shows plainly that he has respect to
what was given him in his great trials and sufferings. And in that promise of
the white stone and new name, to him that overcomes, Rev. 2:17, it is evident
Christ has a special respect to a benefit that Christians should obtain, by
overcoming, in the trial they had, in that day of persecution. This appears by
verse 13, and many other passages in this epistle, to the seven churches of
Asia.

OBJECTION II.--Some also may be ready to object against what has been said of
Christian practice being the chief evidence of the truth of grace, that this is
a legal doctrine; and that this making practice a thing of such great
importance in religion, magnifies works, and tends to lead men to make too much
of their own doings, to the diminution of the glory of free grace, and does not
seem well to consist with the great gospel doctrine of justification by faith
alone.

But this objection is altogether without reason. Which way is it inconsistent
with the freeness of God's grace, that holy practice should be a sign of God's
grace? It is our works being the price of God's favor, and not their being the
sign of it, that is the thing which is inconsistent with the freeness of that
favor. Surely the beggar's looking on the money he has in his hands, as a sign
of the kindness of him who gave it to him, is in no respect inconsistent with
the freeness of that kindness. It is his having money in his hands as the price
of a benefit, that is the thing which is inconsistent with the free kindness of
the giver. The notion of the freeness of the grace of God to sinners, as that
is revealed and taught in the gospel, is not that no holy and amiable
qualifications or actions in us shall be a fruit, and so a sign of that grace;
but that it is not the worthiness or loveliness of any qualification or action
of ours which recommends us to that grace; that kindness is shown to the
unworthy and unlovely; that there is great excellency in the benefit bestowed
and no excellency in the subject as the price of it; that goodness goes forth
and flows out, from the fullness of God's nature, the fullness of the fountain
of good, without any amiableness in the object to draw it. And this is the
notion of justification without works (as this doctrine is taught in the
Scripture), that it is not the worthiness or loveliness of our works, or
anything in us, which is in any wise accepted with God, as a balance for the
guilt of sin, or a recommendation of sinners to his acceptance as heirs of
life. Thus we are justified only by the righteousness of Christ, and not by our
righteousness. And when works are opposed to faith in this affair, and it is
said that we are justified by faith and not by works; thereby is meant, that it
is not the worthiness or amiableness of our works, or anything in us, which
recommends us to an interest in Christ and his benefits; but that we have this
interest only by faith, or by our souls receiving Christ, or adhering to and
closing with him. But that the worthiness or amiableness of nothing in us
recommends and brings us to an interest in Christ, is no argument that nothing
in us is a sign of an interest in Christ.

If the doctrines of free grace, and justification by faith alone, be
inconsistent with the importance of holy practice as a sign of grace; then they
are equally inconsistent with the importance of anything whatsoever in us as a
sign of grace, any holiness, or any grace that is in us, or any of our
experiences of religion; for it is as contrary to the doctrines of free grace
and justification by faith alone, that any of these should be the righteousness
which we are justified by, as that holy practice should be so. It is with holy
works, as it is with holy qualifications; it is inconsistent with the freeness
of gospel grace, that a title to salvation should be given to men for the
loveliness of any of their holy qualifications, as much as that it should be
given for the holiness of their works. It is inconsistent with the gospel
doctrine of free grace, that an interest in Christ and his benefits should be
given for the loveliness of a man's true holiness, for the amiableness of his
renewed, sanctified, heavenly heart, his love to God, and being like God, or
his experience of joy in the Holy Ghost, self-emptiness, a spirit to exalt
Christ above all, and to give all glory to him, and a heart devoted unto him; I
say it is inconsistent with the gospel doctrine of free grace, that a title to
Christ's benefits should be given out of regard to the loveliness of any of
these, or that any of these should be our righteousness in the affair of
justification. And yet this does not hinder the importance of these things as
evidences of an interest in Christ. Just so it is with respect to holy actions
and works. To make light of works, because we be not justified by works, is the
same thing in effect, as to make light of all religion, all grace and holiness,
yea, true evangelical holiness, and all gracious experience; for all is
included, when the Scripture says, we are not justified by works; for by works
in this case, is meant all our own righteousness, religion, or holiness, and
everything that is in us, all the good we do, and all the good which we are
conscious of all external acts, and all internal acts and exercises of grace,
and all experiences, and all those holy and heavenly things wherein the life
and power, and the very essence of religion do consist, all those great things
which Christ and his apostles mainly insisted on in their preaching, and
endeavored to promote, as of the greatest consequence in the hearts and lives
of men, and all good dispositions, exercises and qualifications of every kind
whatsoever; and even faith itself, considered as a part of our holiness. For we
are justified by none of these things; and if we were, we should, in a
Scripture sense, be justified by works. And therefore if it be not legal, and
contrary to the evangelical doctrine of justification without works, to insist
on any of these, as of great importance, as evidences of an interest in Christ;
then no more is it, thus to insist on the importance of holy practice. It would
be legal to suppose, that holy practice justifies by bringing us to a title to
Christ's benefits, as the price of it, or as recommending to it by its
preciousness or excellence; but it is not legal to suppose, that holy practice
justifies the sincerity of a believer, as the proper evidence of it. The
Apostle James did not think it legal to say, that Abraham our father was
justified by works in this sense. The Spirit that indited the Scripture, did
not think the great importance and absolute necessity of holy practice, in this
respect, to be inconsistent with the freeness of grace; for it commonly teaches
them both together; as in Rev. 21:6, 7, God says, "I will give unto him that is
athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely;" and then adds, in the
very next words, "he that overcometh shall inherit all things." As though
behaving well in the Christian race and warfare, were the condition of the
promise. So in the next chapter, in the 14th and 15th verses, Christ says,
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the
tree of life, and enter in through the gates into the city;" and then declares
in the 15th verse, "how they that are of a wicked practice" shall be excluded;
and yet in the two verses next following, does with very great solemnity give
forth an invitation to all to come and take of the water of life freely: "I am
the root and the offspring of David, the bright and morning star. And the
Spirit and the bride say, come. And let him that heareth, say, come. And let
him that is athirst, come; and whosoever will, let him come and take of the
water of life freely." So chapter 3:20, 21, "Behold I stand at the door and
knock; if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and
sup with him, and he with me." But then it is added in the next words, "To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne." And in that great
invitation of Christ, Matt. 11 latter end, "Come unto me, all ye that labor,
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest;" Christ adds in the next words,
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart; and
ye shall find rest unto your souls; for my yoke is easy, and my burden is
light:" as though taking the burden of Christ's service, and imitating his
example, were necessary in order to the promised rest. So in that great
invitation to sinners to accept of free grace, Isa. 55, "Ho, everyone that
thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy and
eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price;" even there,
in the continuation of the same invitation, the sinner's forsaking his wicked
practice is spoken of as necessary to the obtaining mercy: verse 7, "Let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him
return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he
will abundantly pardon." So the riches of divine grace, in the justification of
sinners, is set forth with the necessity of holy practice, Isa. 1:16, &c.:
"Wash ye, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before mine
eyes, cease to do evil, learn too do well, seek judgment, relieve the
oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, let us reason
together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as
white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

And in that most solemn invitation of wisdom, Prov. 9, after it is represented
what great provision is made, and how that all things were ready, the house
built, the beasts killed, the wine mingled, and the table furnished, and the
messengers sent forth to invite the guests; then we have the free invitation,
verses 4, 5, 6: "Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither; as for him that
wanteth understanding (i.e. has no righteousness) she saith to him, Come, eat
of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled." But then in the next
breath it follows, "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of
understanding;" as though forsaking sin, and going in the way of holiness, were
necessary in order to life. So that the freeness of grace, and the necessity of
holy practice, which are thus from time to time joined together in Scripture,
are not inconsistent one with another. Nor does it at all diminish the honor
and importance of faith, that the exercises and effects of faith in practice,
should be esteemed the chief signs of it; any more than it lessens the
importance of life, that action and motion are esteemed the chief signs of
that.

So that in what has been said of the importance of holy practice as the main
sign of sincerity; there is nothing legal, nothing derogatory to the freedom
and sovereignty of gospel grace, nothing in the least clashing with the gospel
doctrine of justification by faith alone, without the works of the law, nothing
in the least tending to lessen the glory of the Mediator, and our dependence on
his righteousness, nothing infringing on the special prerogatives of faith in
the affair of our salvation, nothing in any wise detracting from the glory of
God and his mercy, or exalting man, or diminishing his dependence and
obligation. So that if any are against such an importance of holy practice as
has been spoken of, it must be only from a senseless aversion to the letters
and sound of the word works, when there is no reason in the world to be
given for it, but what may be given with equal force, why they should have an
aversion to the words holiness, godliness, grace,
religion, experience, and even faith itself; for to make a
righteousness of any of these, is as legal, and as inconsistent with the way of
the new covenant, as to make a righteousness of holy practice.

It is greatly to the hurt of religion, for persons to make light of, and insist
little on, those things which the Scripture insists most upon, as of most
importance in the evidence of our interest in Christ, under a notion that to
lay weight on these things is legal, and an old covenant way; and so, to
neglect the exercises, and effectual operations of grace in practice, and
insist almost wholly on discoveries, and the method and manner of the immanent
exercises of conscience and grace in contemplation; depending on an ability to
make nice distinctions in these matters, and a faculty of accurate discerning
in them, from philosophy or experience. It is in vain to seek for any better,
or any further signs than those that the Scriptures have most expressly
mentioned, and most frequently insisted on, as signs of godliness. They who
pretend to a greater accuracy in giving signs, or by their extraordinary
experience or insight into the nature of things, to give more distinguishing
marks, which shall more thoroughly search out and detect the hypocrite, are but
subtle to darken their own minds, and the minds of others; their refinings and
nice discerning, are in God's sight, but refined foolishness and a sagacious
delusion. Here are applicable those words of Agur, Prov. 30:5, 6, "Every word
of God is pure; he is a shield to them that put their trust in him: add thou
not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Our
discerning, with regard to the hearts of men, is not much to be trusted. We can
see but a little way into the nature of the soul, and the depths of;man's
heart. The ways are so many whereby persons' affections may be moved without
any supernatural influence, the natural springs of the affections are so
various and so secret, so many things have oftentimes a joint influence on the
affections, the imagination, and that in ways innumerable and unsearchable,
natural temper, education, the common influences of the Spirit of God, a
surprising concourse of affecting circumstances, an extraordinary coincidence
of things in the course of men's thoughts, together with the subtle management
of invisible malicious spirits, that no philosophy or experience will ever be
sufficient to guide us safely through this labyrinth and maze, without our
closely following the clew which God has given us in his word. God knows his
own reasons why he insists on some things, and plainly sets them forth as the
things that we should try ourselves by rather than others. It may be it is
because he knows that these things are attended with less perplexity, and that
we are less liable to be deceived by them than others. He best knows our
nature; and he knows the nature and manner of his own operations; and he best
knows the way of our safety; he knows what allowances to make for different
states of his church, and different tempers of particular persons, and
varieties in the manner of his own operations, how far nature may resemble
grace, and how far nature may be mixed with grace, what affections may rise
from imagination, and how far imagination may be mixed with spiritual
illumination. And therefore it is our wisdom, not to take his work out of his
hands, but to follow him, and lay the stress of the judgment of ourselves
there, where he has directed us. If we do otherwise, no wonder if we are
bewildered, confounded, and fatally deluded. But if we had got into the way of
looking chiefly at those things, which Christ and his apostles and prophets
chiefly insisted on, and so in judging of ourselves and others, chiefly
regarding practical exercises and effects of grace, not neglecting other
things; it would be of manifold happy consequence; it would above all things
tend to the conviction of deluded hypocrites, and to prevent the delusion of
those whose hearts were never brought to a thorough compliance with the
straight and narrow way which leads to life; it would tend to deliver us from
innumerable perplexities, arising from the various inconsistent schemes there
are about methods and steps of experience; it would greatly tend to prevent
professors neglecting strictness of life, and tend to promote their engagedness
and earnestness in their Christian walk; and it would become fashionable for
men to show their Christianity, more by an amiable distinguished behavior, than
by an abundant and excessive declaring their experiences; and we should get
into the way of appearing lively in religion, more by being lively in the
service of God and our generation, than by the liveliness and forwardness of
our tongues, and making a business of proclaiming on the house tops, with our
mouths, the holy and eminent acts and exercises of our own hearts; and
Christians that are intimate friends, would talk together of their experiences
and comforts, in a manner better becoming Christian humility and modesty, and
more to each other's profit: their tongues not running before, but rather going
behind their hands and feet, after the prudent example of the blessed apostle,
2 Cor. 12:6, and many occasions of spiritual pride would be cut off; and so a
great door shut against the devil; and a great many of the main
stumbling-blocks against experimental and powerful religion would be removed;
and religion would be declared and manifested in such a way that, instead of
hardening spectators, and exceedingly promoting infidelity and atheism, would,
above all things, tend to convince men that there is a reality in religion, and
greatly awaken them, and win them, by convincing their consciences of the
importance and excellency of religion. Thus the light of professors would so
shine before men, that others, seeing their good works, would glorify their
Father which is in heaven.